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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26241184">You Can't F**k the Moon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DowagerEmpress/pseuds/DowagerEmpress'>DowagerEmpress</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dancers, Drag, Drag Queens, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Gaang (Avatar) as Family, Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Pan Character, Pansexual Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:34:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,573</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26241184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DowagerEmpress/pseuds/DowagerEmpress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Make me yours, sky orb!<br/>I give to you my body<br/>Make love to me, moon!”</p>
<p>Toph loves the family she's found herself a part of, but she'll never admit it.<br/>Sokka loves four things: 1) His found family 2) Suki 3) Haikus and 4) Drag. Somehow, each of these things led him to the next.<br/>Suki loves dancing and her boyfriend, not necessarily in that order.<br/>Katara, well, she loves everyone.<br/>Zuko, has recently learned what real love looks like, and might just be learning what self-love looks like too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Can't F**k the Moon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/mollus/gifts">mollus</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I hope you enjoy this mollus! *kisses*</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You can’t fuck the moon, Sokka,” Zuko said, his frustration evident. Based on that tone Toph was betting that Zuko was one more bad haiku away from pushing Sokka off the fire escape.</p>
<p>She couldn’t exactly blame him. The haikus were truly terrible and he <em>had </em>been going on for nearly a solid half hour. Times like this she wished she was deaf as well as blind. Hell, another half-hour and she’d be helping Zuko—tossing Sokka seemed like fun.</p>
<p>Katara and Aang were, of course, completely unbothered by it. Katara would have been bothered if she was paying attention. She was too busy charting the stars and referencing her astrology book to notice what her brother was doing. And as usual, Aang was a little too stoned, and found the haikus  funny.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Make me yours, sky orb!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I give to you my body</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Make love to me, moon!”</em>
</p>
<p>Zuko face palmed.</p>
<p>“I liked that one!” Aang giggled. “It’s sexy.” He took another hit off his bong and stared up thoughtfully at the moon. “Do you think the moon is a boy or a girl?”</p>
<p>Sokka sighed dreamily. “Who cares? They’re beautiful.”</p>
<p>“The moon is the moon,” Zuko grumbled.</p>
<p>Toph placed her hand on Zuko’s shoulder. She didn’t say anything, but the meaning was clear: ‘just let it go.’ Then she turned to Suki who was bent over her laptop, editing a video of her dance troupe. “Does it bother you that your boyfriend is composing vaguely erotic, and definitely romantic poems for the moon?”</p>
<p>Suki glanced at her boyfriend and smiled fondly before looking back at Toph. “Honestly … no. It makes him happy and it’s cute.”</p>
<p>Sokka turned and stuck his tongue out at Toph before remembering that she couldn’t see. “See! She thinks I’m cute.”</p>
<p>“Well there’s no accounting for taste,” Katara said, not looking up from her calculations.</p>
<p>Suki shrugged and closed her laptop. “Laptop’s dying. I’m gonna go finish this inside.” She kissed Sokka on the cheek and climbed through the open window into the apartment they all shared.</p>
<p> “I’m right behind you,” Zuko added coming away from the railing. “You coming?” he asked Aang, Katara, and Toph.</p>
<p>“Nah,” Katara said. “I’ve got a few more constellations I need to chart and someone has to stop these two,” she gestured at her brother and Aang, “from trying to get to the moon.”</p>
<p> “I think I’m gonna head up to the roof,” Toph said standing up and stretching. “There’s only so much of Sokka’s haikus I can take.”</p>
<p>“’kay,” Zuko replied and headed inside.</p>
<p>Toph pushed past Aang and quickly made her way up the fire escape. Tonight, the roof was calm, still, and completely quiet—at least as quiet as things ever got in the city. She liked coming up here when she wanted to be alone, no one ever bothered her … except for Miyuki—but she didn’t really count.</p>
<p>Miyuki was a stray cat. Toph had found her as a kitten when they had first moved into the apartment. She’d been weak, emaciated, and like Toph, completely blind. Through diligent care Toph had nursed her back to health.</p>
<p>A cold wet nose pressed up against Toph’s ankle and she smiled.</p>
<p>“Hi, Miyuki.” She crouched down and scratched the cat behind the ears. Miyuki pushed her head forward until it was fully resting in the palm of Toph’s hand.</p>
<p>She sat down and Miyuki climbed into her lap. She squirmed around and kneaded at Toph’s lap for a few moments before settling down and meowing at Toph expectantly.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay,” she huffed, smiling. “I’ll get you your treat.” Toph dug around in her pocket bringing out a slightly crushed cat treat. She held it up to Miyuki and the cat tucked in with gusto. As she did, Toph gently patted her back.</p>
<p>The motion was meditative. Toph felt her worries and anxieties drift away along with a few of Miyuki’s loose hairs on the breeze. She sat so long that she lost track of time.</p>
<p>She woke with the dawn. At some point in the night someone, likely Zuko, had draped a blanket over her. Miyuki was still nestled against her side. She stretched out in the early morning sun feeling the earth come alive around her. Eventually, she sat up and took a long drink of water from the glass that had been left next to her along with a note made in braille. It said: “Brunch at 10:30 a.m.? Xoxo The Gaang”</p>
<p>Toph sat up and clutched the paper close to her heart—an action she’d never admit to. She was going to get all the pancakes she could eat.</p>
<p>________________________________________</p>
<p>It was nine p.m. when Suki got the text message. It was one minute after nine when Suki saw weeks of work going down the drain. It was three minutes after nine when she had accepted reality and found a solution.</p>
<p>She got up from the bed and went to find Sokka. He was in the living room, sitting on the couch, hunched over his sketchbook. Appa, Aang and Katara’s puppy, was curled up asleep next to him.</p>
<p> “Sokka, how much do you love me?” she asked, a little too sweetly to her own ears.</p>
<p>“I dunno. A lot?” Sokka glanced up from his sketchbook.</p>
<p>“So if some guy was hassling me in the park …”</p>
<p>“I’d offer backup while you kicked his ass. And then lie to the cops for you.” Sokka said, returning to his sketchbook.</p>
<p>Suki smiled and continued. “And if somebody, I dunno, kidnapped me …”</p>
<p>“I’d tear down every building brick by brick until I found you,” he replied, his brow furrowing and tongue sticking out as he turned his paper this way and that. </p>
<p>Suki opened her mouth to speak but Sokka beat her to it. “Does this look right to you?” He held up his sketchbook to her.</p>
<p>“Is that a six-legged bison?” Suki asked, turning her head to the side, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.</p>
<p>“It’s supposed to be Appa.”</p>
<p>Suki had to suppress a laugh. He tried, but Sokka was no artist. “Maybe make the ears a little longer? Might make it look more dog-like.”</p>
<p>“Good idea!” He eagerly turned back the page.</p>
<p>“So um… Sokka,” Suki began.</p>
<p>“If a giant sea serpent tried to eat you, I’d take it down. I’d do anything for you, Suki. You know that. What’s with all the weird hypotheticals?”</p>
<p>She shrugged. “Nothing.”</p>
<p>For a brief moment there wasn’t a sound in the room beyond the scratching of Sokka’s pencil on the paper.</p>
<p>“So, since you said you’d do anything for me…”</p>
<p>It was ten minutes past nine p.m. when Sokka realised his mistake.</p>
<p>“… you’d be totally willing to take Coco’s spot in a few performances?”</p>
<p>Sokka’s face paled. “What! Why?”</p>
<p>“Coco just texted me. She sprained her ankle and the doctor says she has to stay off it for at least three weeks. Please, Sokka!” Suki pouted her lips and batted her eyes.</p>
<p>Sokka grimaced. “Ok, one: never do that again. It’s creepy. Two: why can’t you ask Katara to do it? Aren’t you supposed to be an all-girl troupe anyway?”</p>
<p>“I would, but the Solstice Festival is in three days and she’d never learn it in time. You helped me choreograph and rehearse it, so it should be easy to get you up to performance level. We’ll stick you in Coco’s costume and slap a wig on. With a little makeup, no one will ever know you’re a boy.”</p>
<p>“Uh, I’m a man,” Sokka said, frowning and not-too-subtly flexing.</p>
<p>Suki rolled her eyes. “Of course you are. So will you do it?” she asked again.</p>
<p>She sat on the couch, trying not to squirm while Sokka considered her request. A myriad of emotions passed across his face; little hems and haws punctuated each shift in thought. Finally he sighed, resigned.</p>
<p>“Fine, I’ll do it.”</p>
<p>Suki pumped her fist in the air and dove forward, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend and kissing him on the cheek. “Thanks Sokka. You’re the best!”</p>
<p>******</p>
<p>“There!” Suki said, leaning back to inspect her work, lip brush hanging loosely between her fingers. “You’re done. Take a look.”</p>
<p>She wished she had a camera to capture the moment. Sokka's jaw hit the floor and then the change happened. The change that she saw in every man she’d ever put makeup on. He was feeling himself.</p>
<p>“I’m… I’m beautiful,” he breathed. And then the posing started. He turned this way and that, examining his face from every angle, pursing his lips and pouting seductively.</p>
<p>“See,” Suki laughed. “Makeup isn’t so bad.”</p>
<p>“So bad?” Sokka said, prying his eyes away from his own reflection to answer her. “It’s amazing! I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this beautiful or confident or… Suki am I a woman?”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“A woman. Am I a woman?”</p>
<p>Suki was taken aback. “Uh… I don’t know? Are you?” was all she answered.</p>
<p>Sokka turned back to the mirror and looked at himself critically for a long moment. “No. No, I’m not. I’m definitely a man. But, a damn good looking one in this makeup. You’re gonna have to teach me how to do this later.”</p>
<p>“Uh, sure.”</p>
<p>“Great! Thanks!” he leaned in to give her a kiss and she brought up a hand to block his lips.</p>
<p>“First lesson. Makeup smudges—especially when it’s fresh.”</p>
<p>He had the sense to look sheepish and back up. That was when she noticed all the other Kyoshi dancers staring.</p>
<p>The girls had been incredibly welcoming and thankful that he’d stepped in. Even with Sokka being unused to the kimonos that the Kyoshi troupe wore, it hadn’t taken long for him to get the dance up to snuff. One night in the studio and Sokka was moving with a grace and poise he usually only had in his fights. It helped, Suki supposed, that the dance was heavily influenced by Tessenjutsu.</p>
<p>Admittedly the fan had posed Sokka a bit of a challenge. He’d nearly clocked an unsuspecting janitor in the head with the fan—luckily he only sent the container of coleslaw the man had brought for dinner all over the floor. Sokka apologized profusely, cleaned up the mess, and ordered the man a pizza as a replacement.</p>
<p>After that night it had just been a matter of slotting Sokka into the formation with the rest of the troupe. That had gone surprisingly well. He’d only knocked Jennifer down twice and she’d only threatened to murder him three times.</p>
<p> Suki’s stomach was in knots as she paced around the backstage area of the Inner Ring Theatre. She was getting increasingly irritated side eye from the stage manager but she was hard pressed to care. They were up next and she was nervous. She always got this way before a performance, but with the last-minute substitution of Sokka she was a ball of nerves.</p>
<p>“If you’re ready, get to the wings! We’re on soon!”</p>
<p>Just then the stage manager rushed up to her. “Get your girls. You’re on in a minute. Just wait until Bumi introduces you. The booth will cue up your track ten seconds after you’re all in place. Got it?”</p>
<p>Suki nodded.</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>She went and gathered the girls and led them to the wing. Bumi announced the troupe and they filed out onto the stage, and then fanned out to their opening formation.</p>
<p>Suki exhaled silently through her nose and counted to ten. At ten she heard the first of the three distinct taps that began their track. A beat after the third tap a massive tympany sounded and the troupe snapped their fans open.</p>
<p>All thoughts left her head, all focus was on the movements of her body. Even her concerns about Sokka fled; she trusted that he was ready. She turned then, her eyes connected with Jennifer’s, and they began to circle each other.</p>
<p>The dance was choreographed as a battle. Five pairs circling each other in constant motion, their movements fluid as they struck out, dodged, and deflected their ‘opponent’s’ fans. The dance grew more intense, the dancers striking like snakes as the music built in intensity, leading to their big finish.</p>
<p> Suki leaned to her left, dodging Jennifer’s closed fan. With a ‘thwap’ the fan snapped open. Suki reached up to grab Jennifer’s shoulders, snapping her own fan open, as Jennifer imitated Suki’s hold. Suki kicked out behind her with both legs, spinning as she did so, forcing Jennifer to turn with her. They moved in a circle with the other dancers, making a full rotation of the stage before stopping on a dime. They broke apart, leaning back into a bridge, once more closing their fans as their hands hit the stage. Quick as anything all the dancers kicked off the stage, flipping in a perfect arc before righting themselves and snapping their fans open in a perfect fight pose right as the final beat of the song rang out.</p>
<p>The crowd raced to their feet. Suki’s ears rang with the thunderous applause and she came back to herself, to the moment. She stood straight and turned to face the audience, bowing deeply and cuing the other dancers to take their bows. They held the pose for a count of three before standing and filing off the stage.</p>
<p>As soon as they were in the dark of the wings Suki felt a body crash into her from behind and wrap arms around her, followed by the familiar woodsy scent of Sokka’s cologne.</p>
<p>“That was amazing!” he whispered loudly in her ear. He could barely contain his excitement</p>
<p>Suki smiled and turned around in his arms, pecking him lightly on the lips as she did so. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”</p>
<p>“The crowd… the lights… it’s so much… <em>fun</em>!” Sokka said a smile a mile wide on his face, and his eyes were lit up in a way that Suki didn’t often see from him.</p>
<p>She smiled fondly back at him. “I think we need to find you a performance outlet.”</p>
<p>Sokka nodded excitedly. “Can we?”</p>
<p>Suki gazed up at him thoughtfully. “What about drag?” she asked. “Kinda a two-birds-one-stone solution: makeup and performance.”</p>
<p>Sokka frowned.</p>
<p>“What?” Suki asked. “I thought it was an ideal situation.”</p>
<p>“It is!” Sokka agreed. “But now I have to think of a really good drag name.”</p>
<p>_______________________________________</p>
<p>Sokka paced nervously in the wings. He could still hear the loud cheers of the audience as the previous queen collected her tips and exited the stage. The lights stopped flashing in their strobe effects as the host of the evening, Oma Gawd, took the stage.</p>
<p>“Give it up for Shu Hoarder! Yass! That version of ‘Secret Tunnel’ is ‘bouta be my new ringtone! The Nomads could <em>never</em>!” Oma shouted. “And if you want to explore Shu’s secret tunnel, she’ll be more than happy to meet you out back.” The audience cheered and more than a few wolf-whistled. </p>
<p>Sweat broke out across Sokka’s forehead. He was so nervous that he couldn’t even care that it was probably ruining his makeup. Why had he decided to do this? He should’ve just done a lip-synch like all the other girls. Like he did every week.</p>
<p>On stage, Oma was still talking, working the crowd. She stuffed a few eagerly held out tips into her bra as she circled the stage. “Our next performer is no stranger to Ember Island, but she’s cooked up something a little different for you this evening! Please, welcome to the stage, Tasha Boomerang!”</p>
<p>The crowd erupted in cheers as Sokka made his way onto the stage. Someone handed him a mic from offstage. He could see some confused looks on the faces in the crowd when no music immediately started. The club grew quiet—at least as quiet as it was possible for a club to be. He scanned the room looking for familiar and supportive faces.</p>
<p>He saw a few. Other queens, who weren’t performing but had come in drag nevertheless, a few people he knew from around the Village, and in the back corner, crowded around a table that was much too small for the amount of people sitting at it were Suki, Zuko, Toph, Katara, and Aang.</p>
<p>A scream of, “We love you Tasha,” came from that table. Sokka was grateful for the thick layer of makeup that hid his blush. But that support did calm his nerves.</p>
<p>“Ember Island! Hi,” he cried into the mic. The crowd cheered. “How y’all doing this fine night?” There was another round of cheers and already a few hands had shot up, holding out bills to him. “Me? I’m doing fine,” he said, rolling his hips and giving a little shimmy.</p>
<p>The crowd whooped again as he struck a pose, letting them admire him. His gown, made for him by Suki, caught the light beautifully. In terms of construction, it was a simple a-line dress with sheer off-the-shoulder bell sleeves. A long piece of wired chiffon framed his upper body and flowed down around his calves where it was attached with a large broach, giving the effect of a mermaid bottom. </p>
<p>The look was completed by an elaborate half-up-half-down wig in the same crisp white colour as the gown. Against his rich brown skin, it looked like he glowed in the light. He was ethereal.</p>
<p>“Oh I feel the love!” he said as the noise level dropped again. “And really, who can blame you? I am just stunning!” He hit another pose. “Tonight’s performance… Well, she’s a little diff’rent.” The club was quiet, but not in the way Sokka had been used to at the start of his drag career. No, this was not the deafening silence of a crowd that was unimpressed; it was eager silence. He could sense the anticipation in the air. “Have you got it yet?”</p>
<p>There was a general murmur through the club as people checked with their friends to see if they knew what he was talking about. It seemed like no one did. At least until he heard Toph’s loud “HA” from the back table and the loud groan of the rest of the table once she explained.</p>
<p>“No? No one’s got it?” Sokka asked, humming. His voice dripped with knowing condescension. “I’ll give you a hint, okay?” He rolled his eyes in an affected put-upon way. “Five, seven, then five.”</p>
<p>There was another murmur that rippled through the crowd. This time there were a number of ‘ahs’ of revelation. One person, a girl in the front row with big glasses and a mess of short curls, burst out laughing. She slapped a handful of dollar bills down on the stage as she continued to wheeze, bent double.</p>
<p>“Oh, you are clever!” he purred. Sokka leaned down to the girl and placed one finger under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. There was a moment of tension in the club, the crowd staring at them, waiting for Sokka to close the gap and kiss the girl. He didn’t. Instead, he dropped his finger and picked up the money.</p>
<p>“If you haven’t figured out,” he continued disdainfully, “I’ll say it again.” He held up a closed fist and, as he spoke, raised each finger to match the syllables. “Five, seven, then five, Syllables mark the haiku. Obviously—fools!”</p>
<p>The crowd went wild! Those who had got it after his first clue were roaring with laughter. As much shit as his friends gave him for his lousy poetry, he could see the massive grins on their faces and hear their whoops of appreciation.</p>
<p>He held out his arms and spun, letting their adulation wash over him. This was what he loved. The roar of the crowd and the warmth of the stage lights. He was beautiful and, ironically, truly seen; through drag, he had the freedom to express every part of himself.</p>
<p> “You there, in the back!” Sokka called, pointing a sharply manicured finger at Zuko. Everyone in the club turned to look at him. Sokka could see Zuko freeze and turn bright red, eyes darting around, hoping Sokka was pointing anywhere but at him. He wasn’t.</p>
<p>“Yes, you! Come up here, big boy.” Sokka’s voice took on a seductive note as he crooked his finger, urging him forward. “Come ‘n’ see Tasha.” Sokka winked and blew him a kiss.</p>
<p>If it was possible, Zuko turned even redder and tried to sink under the table.</p>
<p>“Awww, looks like he’s shy!” Sokka pouted. “Fine. You can stay there, big boy.” He turned back to the entire crowd. “Who can I woo now?”</p>
<p>Several hands in the crowd shot up eagerly, more than a few holding out bills. Sokka walked over to the edge of the stage, and held out his hands to be helped down. Two girls, one dour, one perky, and clearly together, came to his aid.</p>
<p>“Not, either of you!” he said, touching each lightly on the cheek. The perky girl beamed, kissing the dour girl on the cheek. She blushed. “You are too cute to break up. Homewrecker, I’m not.”</p>
<p>Both girls tucked some bills into his dress as he moved on. “Will I find someone?” he asked wistfully. “Will you sweep me off my feet?” he asked, turning to an older, serious looking man with a bun and a goatee who was sitting at a nearby table. The man smirked, bringing his drink to his mouth. Sokka took it as a challenge and sat on the man’s lap. “Just tonight…” he paused, and he could feel the crowd count the syllables and notice that he was two short. “Daddy,” he finished.</p>
<p>The crowd oohed, watching the man for his reaction. He took a sip from his drink and raised the glass then sat back, raising his eyebrows expectantly. Sokka knew an invitation when he saw one and leaned down, pressing a kiss to the man’s lips. He was drinking whiskey—a good one too. The crowd lost it, and Sokka felt a shower of bills fall across his shoulders.</p>
<p>“No,” he said thoughtfully, sitting up. “It won’t be you. I’m not going home with you. It didn’t feel right.”</p>
<p>The man shrugged as Sokka got up and continued through the club. He repeated the act with a few more patrons, wooing them with a haiku, kissing them, and then rejecting them with another. After rejecting a third person, a man with an eye tattooed in the center of his forehead, he turned towards the table in the back where his friends sat.</p>
<p>A look of dramatic revelation flashed across his face when his eyes landed on the table. “How could I forget!” he cried. “I’m spoken for already! Silly, silly me!” </p>
<p>Sokka strutted dramatically over to his friends and sat down on the edge of the table. He grabbed Suki’s hand and hauled her to her feet. “Suki, I love you,” he professed, taking her in his arms. “You make me a better man.” He leaned in and kissed her passionately, and she kissed him back just as fiercely. Sokka was nearly popping his tuck when they broke apart, and Suki looked both smug and satisfied. “Meet me backstage, ‘kay?” he said breathlessly.</p>
<p>The crowd lost it.</p>
<p>___________________________________</p>
<p>The car door slammed shut, a gust of wind pushing it harder than Katara had expected. The wind carried with it the briny scent of the bay. She took a deep breath, revelling in the smell, the calm grey of the sky, and the lazy crash of the waves.</p>
<p>  Katara’s friends liked to poke fun at her. Sokka in particular gave her a hard time about her astrological habit. He couldn’t seem to fathom how a woman who’d graduated first in her class from med school could believe in astrology. </p>
<p>The secret was that Katara didn’t. It was simply a fun hobby. A fun hobby with the added bonus of bugging Sokka.</p>
<p>What she believed in was the ocean.</p>
<p>Katara loved coming to the ocean. She loved any body of water: river, lake, or pool. But it was the ocean that spoke to her.</p>
<p>She took any opportunity to get in the water, and when the opportunity didn’t present itself, she made her own. </p>
<p>Katara did this every so often, and usually without warning. She packed a bag, left a note for Aang, and rented a car to drive to the coast. Every time, she came to this bay; the voice of the ocean was loudest here.</p>
<p>She was completely alone, and she loved it. No one ever visited here, not even the locals. They had a fear of vengeful spirits.</p>
<p>Katara believed them, of course, that there were spirits here. They were spirits of the water, drawn, as she was, to the voice of the ocean. They were not vengeful, nor benevolent. They behaved according to their nature: mercurial. And so, she always made sure to bring an offering to them and the sea.</p>
<p>She opened the trunk and pulled out her bag, a loosely crocheted sack with a drawstring. Before she’d left she’d loaded it up with her offering: several sticks of incense, a burner to place them in, and two moonstones.</p>
<p>Katara made her way down to the loose stone beach, picking her way through the overgrown brush. When she made it to the shore, she stepped out of her shoes and quickly stripped out of her clothes. She folded them and tucked them securely under a log that had been tossed up on the shore. Atop the log, Katara placed her offering of incense and the smaller of the two moonstones. She knelt, lighting the incense, and offered a short, silent prayer to the spirits of the bay.</p>
<p>Standing, Katara walked to the edge of the water. Waves lapped gently at her ankles, surging up her legs before receding, beckoning her forward. She held her hands out to the waves, greeting them. They crashed, leaping up to greet her in return. With that, she continued forward, accepting the ocean’s invitation.</p>
<p>The water swirled around her, welcoming her. Katara smiled, an overwhelming feeling of rightness bursting in her chest. She dove under the water, spinning through the waves. She was home.</p>
<p>When she’d made it to the center of the small bay she stopped, treading water. She unslung her bag from her back, taking out the moonstone. Katara cradled it to her chest. Slowly, she let go of her breath and sunk beneath the waves.</p>
<p>She hung, suspended in the embrace of the ocean, the current swirling around her. The world was dark and silent and peaceful. She held out the moonstone, offering it and herself to the ocean, and dropped it.</p>
<p>Katara stayed there, listening, until her lungs began to burn and she was forced to surface. She floated there, regaining her breath, still listening, and eventually, the ocean spoke.</p>
<p>It spoke in a way that Katara couldn’t have explained if she’d tried. It spoke in the roar of a storm, in the gentle lapping of waves on the shoreline, and in the song of whales. Even in the great still silence, it gave it’s wordless message to Katara.</p>
<p>It was hours later when Katara finally dragged herself up on the pebble sand of the beach. Whatever sun there had been was setting and the night was growing colder and dark. She hauled on her clothes, grimacing at the way the cloth clung to her damp skin. </p>
<p>She returned to the car and dug out her sleeping bag—the cold weather one her dad had given her—and tarp and went back to the beach. The weather forecast had predicted rain that night, but as she started setting up her camp, something stopped her from using the tarp. </p>
<p>She lit a small fire and got out her packed dinner—a tuna salad sandwich. As she took her first bites, Katara felt a wave of peace wash over her. It felt to her as if the whole ocean had heaved a contented sigh. The clouds parted, revealing a full moon. A beam of moonlight cut across the waves, illuminating the entire beach and bay. Then the heavens opened. Rain poured down in sheets, yet the small crescent of land where Katara sat remained completely dry. She could make out nothing through the curtain of rain. She was alone with the ocean and the moon. </p>
<p>Eventually, Katara fell asleep to the lullaby of the rain and waves. When she woke in the morning, she drove to town. She grabbed a quick breakfast at the local diner, a place she stopped every time she came here. </p>
<p>The rest of her morning was spent walking up and down the main street, popping into the local shops. She picked up a bag of taffy for Sokka, a book about local edible plants for Zuko, a small piece of raw jade for Toph’s rock collection, a hand painted fan made by a local artisan for Suki, and a pair of alpaca wool socks for Aang.</p>
<p>After lunch she returned to the beach. Katara spent the rest of that day slicing through the waves. She passed another night beneath the glow of the moon. In the morning she packed up her sleeping bag and drove back to the city, the voice of the ocean a thrumming song in her veins.</p>
<p>________________________________________</p>
<p>Zuko thought he’d had regrets before this.</p>
<p>He’d regretted coming out to his father at thirteen. After he’d moved in with his uncle, he’d let that regret go. </p>
<p>He’d regretted letting Azula talk him into conversion therapy. His uncle’s love, the support of his friends, and a good deal of <em>real</em> therapy had absolved him of the guilt, regret, and shame he’d felt over that. </p>
<p>Yes, he’d thought he had regrets.</p>
<p>He’d been wrong. </p>
<p>Standing backstage at Ember Island, teetering on six inch heels and feeling like Bambi learning to walk, suddenly all those chances not taken, all those mistakes made, seemed trivial and inconsequential.</p>
<p>“You ready to go out there?” Sokka asked, coming up behind him.</p>
<p>“No,” Zuko answered honestly. “How did you talk me into this again?’</p>
<p>Sokka frowned at him. “You were the one who said you wanted to try drag, remember. I just gave you a gentle push. And an outfit.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well if you push me now, I’m going to break an ankle. I don’t know how you expect me to do this in these shoes.” Zuko’s ankle gave way at that moment, as if to emphasize his point, and he fell sideways. Sokka caught him and pushed him back onto his feet.</p>
<p>He glanced down at Zuko’s feet. “You may be right,” he said. He looked back at Zuko’s feet, hand on his chin, brow furrowed in thought. “I’ll be right back.”</p>
<p>“What! Where are you going?” Zuko hissed. “We’re almost on and I can’t do this without you.” He may as well not have been speaking for all the good it did. The words seemed to bounce off of Sokka’s retreating back and die.</p>
<p>Zuko put his back against the wall and slid down to the floor. He closed his eyes and focused on his breath, using the techniques his uncle had taught him to calm down. Slowly, his muscles relaxed and his stomach unknotted.</p>
<p>At least until Sokka dropped two somethings in his lap. His eyes snapped open and the butterflies that had been fluttering in his gut resumed their flight.</p>
<p>“What are these?” he asked, holding up a pair of tall leather boots with a one inch heel.</p>
<p>“A solution to your heel problem.” Sokka said, waving a hand. “Put them on, it's almost go time.”</p>
<p>Zuko breathed a sigh of relief as he fastened the buckles on the boots. They were much more comfortable, and as easy to walk in as his winter boots. He just hoped they didn’t ruin the look. Finding a mirror, he took a quick inventory. </p>
<p>He was wearing a tight black dress that fell to his knees and was slit up to the top of his hips on both sides. The dress was sleeveless, but the high collar hid the small breastplate that Sokka had loaned him. Two thick leather belts wrapped around his middle, just under his bust and at his waist which accentuated the shape the corset had given him.</p>
<p>The boots worked; in fact, he thought they actually looked better with the look Sokka had put together for him. Putting them over the black tights made it look more intentional than the heels, and the double buckle detail echoed the ones on the belts and the opera-length fingerless gloves.</p>
<p>The hair and makeup was his favourite part. Though it did nothing to cover his scar, it did make him feel beautiful. The wig was long, sleek, and black crowned with a small bun, and the bang piece partially obscured his face giving him a mysterious air. The makeup helped with the dark and vampy effect. The contour was sharp, making his face appear even more angular than it was, his eyes were ringed with a deep black smokey eye, and his lips had been overdrawn and swiped with black lipstick.</p>
<p>“Zuko!” Sokka hissed coming up to him. “They’re announcing us!”</p>
<p>Sokkahad opted for borrowing one of Suki’s dance looks. A green kimono with samurai-like armour pieces, and stark makeup inspired by Chinese opera. Both looks were perfect for tonight’s performance as they allowed for a great deal of movement.</p>
<p>Zuko rose to his feet in one fluid motion and followed Sokka toward the stage. He could hear the host introducing them.</p>
<p>“…to the stage, your beloved Tasha Boomerang, and in her Ember Island debut, Tasha’s drag daughter, Agnes Kai!”</p>
<p>The crowd erupted in cheers as the lights began flashing and the music started. Zuko took a deep breath and followed Sokka out onto the stage. He took his position facing Sokka and waited for the musical cue to begin. When Sokka turned to face Zuko, his goofy and charming friend was gone. In his place was the haughty ‘it girl’ Sokka became whenever he performed as Tasha.</p>
<p>Zuko quickly schooled his features into something resembling an imperious smirk and tossed his long hair. Sokka replied with a waggle of his index finger before striking a pose that demanded worship. </p>
<p>It worked. A shower of dollar bills fell over Tasha.</p>
<p>Zuko inspected the long fake nails he was wearing, yawning and turning his back on Tasha. The whole thing felt forced, but the crowd seemed to be eating up this rivalry. </p>
<p>Then he heard it. The whole club heard it. The cue to really begin their performance. Suki had done a remix of ‘Regicide’ by Dancing Dragons. She’d extended the intro so that Sokka and he could do their posturing and then give them the cue of a loud unsheathing sound.</p>
<p>Zuko felt the stage rattle as Tasha ran towards him. At the last minute he whirled around drawing his dao swords, bringing them up just in time to catch Tasha’s sword between them in a clatter of sparks. He pushed on the blades and Tasha leapt backwards, dodging the swing of Zuko’s blade.</p>
<p>It was Zuko’s turn to go on the offense. He rushed Tasha, feinting right before lunging left and bringing his blades around in a vicious swipe. Tasha didn’t fall for the feint. Her blade was already there to stop his attack. The blades slid off easily and Tasha twirled around him, bouncing away as Zuko spun with her, throwing up his blades to fend off any potential counterattack from Tasha.</p>
<p>The attack came as expected and Zuko knocked the blade away easily, pushing Tasha back. She reeled, thrown slightly off balance. Zuko took the opportunity to press his advantage. He took a swipe at her. She managed to dodge but the movement caused her to lose her balance and go crashing to the floor, her sword sliding away.</p>
<p>Zuko made to lunge, but Tasha recovered too quickly and kicked Zuko’s legs out from under him. He hit the stage with a loud thump, as Tasha rolled to the side, grabbing her sword and jumping to her feet.</p>
<p>The whistle of Tasha’s sword slicing through the air was Zuko’s only warning of her incoming attack. As quick as a wink, he rolled backwards over his shoulder, kicking his legs up in a perfect arc. His foot connected with Tasha’s wrist, sending her sword clattering to the ground, as Zuko came to standing his blades crossed in front of him.</p>
<p>Tasha stood across from him, panting hard, and cradling her wrist. Her sword lay on the ground between them. They eyed it for a split second before they both lunged forward. Zuko slashed low to the ground to keep her from getting to her sword. What he didn’t expect was for Tasha to leap forward and up. He staggered as he felt the press of her hands on his shoulders as she flipped over him.</p>
<p>By the time he realized what had happened he was flat on his back on the stage with Tasha straddling his chest and holding a dagger to his throat. She smiled and for just a second Zuko could see Sokka break through her façade. The music faded to quiet and awareness of the club came back to Zuko.</p>
<p>He heard the loud cheers and felt the bills fluttering down around him, a few crumpled ones under his fingers. His heart was pounding, his breaths came in heaving gasps, and he was smiling like an idiot.</p>
<p>Before Sokka moved to get off of him, he did something that Zuko hadn’t been expecting. He looked out at the crowd through lidded eyes and licked the dagger. Then he turned back to Zuko, winked, and bent down to give him a sensual kiss.</p>
<p>Zuko’s face was on fire and he had no idea what to do. He lay paralyzed on the stage as Sokka finally stood and bowed gracefully to the audience.</p>
<p>“Don’t forget, I’m still queen bee around here,” he announced, looking down at Zuko before sashaying off the stage.</p>
<p>Zuko hurriedly scrambled to his feet and, much less gracefully, followed Sokka backstage.</p>
<p>“That was amazing!” he heard Suki shout as she flung herself at Sokka. “The costumes were perfect, and that choreography! The crowd went nuts. Nice touch with the kiss at the end.” She punched him in the arm affectionately.</p>
<p>“Couldn’t have done any of it without you.” Sokka beamed down at her and then leaned down to give her a kiss.</p>
<p>“You did great tonight, Zuko!” Sokka said, turning to him.</p>
<p>“Uh, thanks,” Zuko said, blushing.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you were really amazing,” Suki agreed. “You think you’ll be making this a regular thing?”</p>
<p>Zuko smiled and blushed deeper. “I don’t know.” </p>
<p>Tonight had been amazing but, he wasn’t sure if drag was the thing for him. It hadn’t been the cheers or the tips or the applause that he’d loved. Nor did dueling with Sokka feel any different than when they trained at the dojo. No, what he’d really loved tonight was feeling beautiful and feeling <em>right </em>in his own skin. Embracing his femininity alongside his masculinity.</p>
<p>“I—uh—I have to go,” he said suddenly. “Thanks, Sokka. For more than you know.”</p>
<p>He turned abruptly and left, leaving Sokka and Suki standing there confused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know the section about Katara, doesn't really fit with the rest of the fic but I don't really care. It was a piece that was in me and demanded to be written. I hope y'all enjoy this.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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